Printing press dampening control system



April 7, 1970 E. w. WORTHINGTON 3,504,626

PRINTING PRESS DAMPENING CONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 13, 1965 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. EMORY W. WORTHINGTON MORGAN, FINNEGAN, DURHAM 8PINE ATTORNEYS April 7, 1970 E. W. WORTHINGTON PRINTING PRESS DAMPENINGCONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 13, 1965 souzcE SENSOR CON T101- 3Sheets-Sheet 2 I/II/I/ I/I/ I/l/ INVENTOR. EMORY W. WORTHINGTON MORGAN,FINNEGAN, DURHAM 8 PINE ATTORNEYS April 7, 1970 E. w. WORTHINGTON3,504,626

PRINTING PRESS DAMPENING CONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 13, 1965 3Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. EMORY W. WORTHINGTON BY MORGAN, FINNEGAN,DURHAM 8| PINE ATTORNEYS United States Patent U.S. Cl. 101-148 12 ClaimsThis invention relates to dampening arrangements employed inlithographic printing systems and more particularly to techniques andarrangements for controlling the dampening operation.

An object of the invention is to prOVide an improved dampening techniquefor use with lithographic printing presses, further objects being toeffectuate improved control over the water/ ink balance, to reducespurious dampening fluid dispersion, and to inhibit the contamination ofthe dampener feed system by feedback from the inking and impressionsystem.

Other Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned bypractice with the invention, the same being realized and attained bymeans of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in theappended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, combinations, arrangementsand improvements herein shown and described.

Serving to illustrate exemplary and preferred embodiments of theinvention are the drawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view partly in section and partly schematicof a dampening system illustrating certain arrangements according to theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevational view partly in section and partlyschematic of the water supply system of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view partly in section and partly schematicof a further embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 4 is an elevational fragmentary view on enlarged scale and partlyin section illustrating a detail of the water metering arrangement ofFIGURE 3.

For convenience the ink rejecting solution is frequently referred toherein as water although it is to be understood that other solutions maybe employed.

It is also to be understood that while the damping arrangements hereindescribed are illustrated in connection with that type of dampeningwhich applies the water to one of the form rollers of the inking train(see Roberts Patent 3,094,065), certain of the arrangements areapplicable as well to other dampening systems such as those which applythe Water to the plate cylinder directly, independently of the formrollers.

The system of FIGURES 1 and 2 comprises a lithographic printing presswhich, so far as the inking and impression system is concerned, is ofconventional form and may be, for example, a sheet fed offset press. Itincludes a blanket cylinder 1 and plate cylinder 2 in contact therewith.The inking system is shown in part and comprises a plurality of formrollers including a first form roller 5 and a plurality of successiveform rollers 3, all in engagement with the plate mounted on platecylinder 2. A pair of vibrating or reciprocating rollers 4 are includedwhich engage respective pairs 3, 3 and 3, 5 of the form rollers andwhich vibrate or reciprocate axially in the usual manner to effect auniform distribution of the ink film. Rollers 4 are preferably metallicand have surfaces which may be steel or copper-plated steel. The formrollers 3 have ink-receptive surfaces which may 3,504,626 Patented Apr.7, 1970 be resilient rubber or an appropriate plastic compositionmaterial.

A water supply system engages form roller 5 to supply water thereto inaccurately controlled amounts. This system includes a distributingroller 7 which is preferably chrome plated or nylon covered in such away as to be water-receptive and which engages the surface of formroller 5 to transfer to the form roller the film of water carried on 7.Control over the quantity of water carried by distributor roller 7 iseffected by a control roller 6 which is preferably covered with asynthetic rubber and which is adjustable by adjustment meansschematically indicated at A so that the contact pressure between it anddistributing roller 7 may be set to control the supply of water to thedistributing roller. Roller 6 may also be of the molleton covered type.

Water is transferred from a water fountain 11 tothe distributing roller7 by means of a fountain roller 8 which is preferably coated with asynthetic plastic such as Hypolan or a synthetic rubber of the Bunatype. Roller 8 is in engagement with distributor roller 7 and is alsoimmersed in the ink rejecting solution in fountain 11. Rollers 7 and 8may be geared together as schematically indicated at G and driven from avariable speed drive including a motor M and an adjustable speed reducerR. An illustrative speed range for roller 8 is 5-30 r.p.m. Roller 6 isfrictionally driven from roller 7 which the peripheral speed of roller 7is generally less than the peripheral speed of form roller 5. The latteris frictionally driven by the plate cylinder.

The positional relationship between rollers 7 and 8 may be adjusted byadjusting means A to provide further control over the water supply. Inaddition, the entire dampening feed mechanism including rollers andfountain may be adjusted as a unit by adjusting means A to establish theappropriate operating contact with form roller 5.

The water feed system is susceptible to contamination by paper, paperdust, lint, ink, emulsion and other foreign matter which is transferredback to the fountain roller 8 from roller 7 and thereby tends to getinto the water supply in fountain 11. To substantially inhibit thiscontamination and to prevent emulsification of the ink in the moisteningfluid, a strainer system is provided which includes a flexible strainer10 having one end engaging the end 11a of the fountain 11 and the otherend attached to a resilient wiping blade 9 that engages the surface offountain roller 8 and removes foreign matter fed back to the surface ofroller 8. This foreign matter, which is entrained in the emulsion fedback to the blade, is collected in the strainer strip and confiend tothat section of the fountain which is isolated *by this strip, it beingnoted that the sides of the strip are in substantial sealing engagementwith the sides 11b of the fountain (see FIG- URE 2).

The strip 10 is a water permeable barrier preferably of non-wovenfabric. One end of the strip is secured as by an adhesive or heatsealing to a clip 15 illustratively of plastic and adapted to engage theupper lip of the fountain end 11a. The clip may include a strip ofresilient material 15a such as nylon to establish a secure connection.At its opposite end the strip 10 is secured as by an adhesive or by heatscaling to a plastic molding 16 and this molding is adapted to besecured to the blade support 17.

The blade support 17 includes end connections, not shown, for connectionto the side walls 11b of the fountain. The blade 9 is attached as byscrew 17a and clamping strip 17b to the upper surface of the support.

The extension of the blade 9 remote from roller 8 is employed incombination with a cam 13 to provide a quick-release type connection ofstrainer to the holder 17. Cam 13 is supplied with a handle 14 and whenrotated the lobe of the cam elevates the remote end of blade 9 tothereby free the end piece 16 of the strainer which is otherwise clampedto the holder 17 by the blade extension.

The major portion of the strainer 10 is immersed in the fountainsolution and its sides engage the sides 11b of the fountain so that thestrained material is confined to the one section of the fountain whichis delineated by the strainer.

In the flow control system, the level of dampening fluid in fountain 1.1may be maintained within limits by a system as shown in FIGURE 2 whichcomprises a liquid level sensor 50 whose output, electrical ormechanical, signals a valve controller 51. The latter is preferablyelectromechanical and operates a valve 52 which controls the delivery offluid from the dampener source to the fountain to maintain the properlevel.

In FIGURE 3 the water feed system includes, in addition to the foregoingelements, a water feed control arrangement. As embodied, this apparatusis associated with the fountain and includes a Wick 17 having one endimmersed in the fountain supply and the other end in engagement withfountain roller 8. The non-woven wick provides a capillary feed actionand the end in contact with fountain roller 8 is secured or bonded as bycasting, to a strip 22, illustratively of plastic, and having in a sloton its exterior surface, a pressure distributing metallic strip 21 whichmay be spring bronze or stainless steel (see FIGURE 4). In adjustableengagement with the plastic section 21 of strip 22 are a plurality ofadjusting thumb screws 19 in side-by-side array across the width of thefountain roller. Each screw 19 is threaded in a respective tapped holein a block 18 attached to a base 18a. The latter is pivoted to thefountain 20 as illustrated in FIGURE 3. To distribute the load, thedistal end of each screw includes a reduced shank disposed in acorresponding hole in the strip 21 with the shoulder portion bearingagainst the strip via a respective washer 19a.

Pressure adjustment, as established by the setting of adjustment screws19, controls the amount of fluid transferred by capillary action in wick17 from the fountain to roller 8. The plastic section 22 should haverelatively little elastic memory to insure rapidly respondingadjustments. Preferably, the wick 17 comprises plastic fibres selectedso that they may be bonded together and so that there is relatively lowfriction between the wick and the surface of roller 8 under low pressureconditions. Where required, the adjusting mechanisms can includeresilient members such as springs.

It may be seen by an inspection of FIGURE 3 that virtually the entiresurface of liquid in the fountain is substantially sealed from theatmosphere. This seal is accomplished by the fountain itself, by thestrainer 10 and by the feed wick 17 and plate 18a, all of which elementsextend across the width of the fountain. Since the dampening fluidfrequently includes alcohol solutions, this sealing of the fountainsupply can provide significant savings in material costs and in the costof checking and maintaining the proper balance of ingredients in thedampening fluid.

It may also be noted that the capillary feed permits the roller 8 to beotherwise isolated from the fountain thereby affording a greaterflexibility in the design of the filter or strainer and the isolation ofreturn flow from the fountain. For example, blade 9 can feed the returnflow through a separate filter which has an output leading to thefountain.

In the study and practice of the invention, modifications willundoubtedly occur to those skilled in the art. The invention is thus notlimited to the specific mechanisms shown and described, but departuresmay be made therefrom Within the scope of the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A dampener control system for a printing press comprising a fountainfor holding dampening fluid, roller means positioned above saidfountain, means for rotating said roller means, adjustable capillaryfeed means in fluid communication with said fountain and the feedportion of said roller means for feeding said fluid to said rollermeans, a plurality of adjusting means, each for setting any one of arange of predetermined pressures between said feed means and rollermeans at a respective point axially along said roller means; and fluidtransfer means inter-connecting said roller means with said press meansfor transferring said fluid thereto.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 in which said capillary feed meanscomprise a fibrous sheet material having one edge immersed in saidfountain and the other edge in contact with said roller and the portionin between said edges unrestrained.

3. A system as defined in claim 1 in which said capillary feed means andadjustment means are disposed to seal off a substantial part of saidfountain.

4. A system as defined in claim 1 including strainer means coupled tothe return portion of said roller means and disposed in said fountain toisolate a portion thereof for preventnig foreigh matter and emulsionfrom polluting other portions of said fountain.

5. A system as defined in claim 4 in which said strainer means comprisemeans for diverting return flow from said roller means and a strainingmaterial oriented to receive said diverted flow and to feed the affluentto said fountain.

6. A system as defined in claim 5 in which said strainer material isdisposed in a concave configuration partially immersed in said fountain.

7. A dampener control system for a printing press comprising a fountainof dampening fluid, rotatable transfer means in association with saidfountain and having a fluid flow surface for transferring said dampeningfluid therein to said press, capillary means in fluid communication withsaid fluid flow surface and said dampening fluid for controlling thetransfer and flow of said dampening fluid thereto, said capillary meansincluding a wick having one end immersed in said dampening fluidfountain, a pressure transmitting strip at its opposite end whichengages said flow surface, and axially variable pressure adjustmentmeans engaging said strip for controlling the capillary action of saidcapillary means, and strainer means in communication with said fluidflow surface and said dampening fluid, said strainer means and saidcapillary means being oriented to enclose a substantial part of saidfountain of dampening fluid.

8. A system as defined in claim 7 in which said capillary meanscomprises a non-woven fibrous material.

9. A dampener control system for a printing press comprising a fountainof dampening fluid, fluid transfer means in communication with saidfountain and said press, said transfer means ncluding a rotatable fluidflow receiving surface, strainer means in communication with saidrotatable fluid flow receiving surface and said dampening fluid, saidstrainer means including wiper means urged against the rotatable fluidflow receiving surface in its flow return region, a strainer elementreleasably clamped to said wiper above the level of said dampeningfluid, and means for immersing said element in said dampening fluid.

10. A system as defined in claim 9, in which said strainer meansincludes a concave portion partially immersed in said fountain with thedistal end engaging the side of said fountain.

11. A system as defined in claim 9, including capillary feed meanscoupled to said fluid flow receiving surface for feeding dampening fluidthereto.

12. A system as defined in claim 11, including a cover plate for saidfountain in which said cover plate and said 5 6 strainer means providesubstantial enclosure of said foun- 3,097,597 7/ 1963 Visser 10l364tain. 2,465,160 3/1949 Levenhagen et a1. 101132.5

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,082,283 5/1960Germany.

1,812,720 6/1931 Schultz l0l365 5 1,900,266 3/1933 Wood 101 363 ROBERTE. PULFREY, Primary Examiner 2,126,768 8/ 938 G e ke 101- 47 FISHER,Assistant Examiner 2,368,500 1/1945 Taylor et al. 10l-350 2,406,9289/1946 Taylor l01350 1 US. Cl. X.R.

0 3,010,393 11/1961 Worthington lOl425 101-350, 365

1. A DAMPENER CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A PRINTING PRESS COMPRISING A FOUNTAINFOR HOLDING DAMPENING FLUID, ROLLER MEANS POSITIONED ABOVE SAIDFOUNTAIN, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID ROLLER MEANS, ADJUSTABLE CAPILLARYFEED MEANS IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID FOUNTAIN AND THE FEEDPORTION OF SAID ROLER MEANS FOR FEEDING SAID FLUID TO SAID ROLLER MEANS,A PLURALITY OF AJUSTING MEANS, EACH FOR SETTING ANY ONE OF A RANGE OFPREDETERMINED PRESSURES BETWEEN SAID FEED MEANS AND ROLLER MEANS AT ARESPECTIVE POINT AXIALLY ALONG SAID ROLLER MEANS; AND FLUID TRANSFERMEANS